Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine (GZUCM) is one of the first batch of universities included in China’s “Double First-Class” Project. It is also a key university for the development of high-level education in Guangdong Province, and a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) university co-constructed by the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, the Ministry of Education, and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Tracing its roots back to the Guangdong Specialized School of Traditional Chinese Medicine established in 1924, it was renamed the Guangdong College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1936, and transformed into the Guangdong College of Advanced Studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1952. With the approval of the State Council, Guangzhou College of Traditional Chinese Medicine was officially founded in 1956, which marked the beginning of its journey as one of the first four TCM higher education institutions in China. In 1995, it was officially renamed “Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine”.
The university presently operates across two campuses located in the Higher Education Mega Center and Sanyuanli, covering a total area of 1,205 mu. It comprises 15 secondary teaching schools, 18 independent research institutions, and 4 directly affiliated hospitals. Additionally, apart from the 10 university-government cooperative hospitals, the university has also established 30 non-direct affiliated hospitals and off-campus practice bases, addressing the diverse needs of teaching practice across various disciplines and majors.
GZUCM firmly adheres to the principle of cultivating moral character and fostering personality, aiming to establish a world-renowned higher education system for traditional Chinese medicine that is uniquely Chinese yet globally competitive. The discipline of Chinese Medicine is recognized as a national “Double First-Class” discipline and a national key discipline. The university houses 6 key disciplines for the construction of high-level universities in Guangdong Province, namely, Chinese Medicine, Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, Clinical Medicine, Pharmacy, Epidemic Prevention and Control, as well as Emergency Management. Furthermore, there are 25 key disciplines recognized by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and 9 high-level key disciplines of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 7 of its disciplines, including Clinical Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chemistry, Biology and Biochemistry, Agronomy, Molecular Biology and Genetics, as well as Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, all rank among the top 1% of ESI rankings.
GZUCM sets up 29 majors enrolling full-time students. In addition, it has 7 master’s degree authorization points for the first-level disciplines, 3 categories of professional master’s degree authorization, 3 doctoral degree authorization points for the first-level disciplines, 1 category of professional doctoral degree authorization and 3 post-doctoral research stations. Currently, the university is home to 21,214 students, including 12,441 undergraduates, 6,606 graduate students, 1,101students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, 798 international students as well as 268 non-credential students from Hong Kong and Macao.
GZUCM has 8 national-level first-class undergraduate disciplines and 11 provincial-level first-class undergraduate disciplines. It also boasts 16 national-level first-class undergraduate courses and demonstration classes of the ideological and political education, as well as 100 provincial-level first-class undergraduate courses. It is one of the first universities in China to implement the “Excellent Doctor (Chinese medicine) Education and Training Program Reform Pilot” and to undertake the “TCM Top-notch Innovative Talent Model Reform Pilot Project.” Furthermore, it has been honored as one of the second batch of national universities to deepen the reform of innovation and entrepreneurship education. Over the past century, GZUCM has proudly cultivated over 130,000 specialized talents in the field of TCM, with a group of prominent leading figures such as Wu Yiling and Liu Liang, members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.
The university adheres to the "four aspects"and carries out organized scientific research and innovation.
The university, with a commitment to fostering and attracting talents, strives to cultivate a first-class TCM faculty. Historically, renowned TCM experts such as Luo Yuankai, Situ Ling, Deng Tietao, Huang Yaoshen, Liang Naijin, and Liu Shichang had taught at this university. Currently, GZUCM boasts an impressive array of scholars and professors, including Academician Liu Liang from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, National TCM Masters Xuan Guowei, Zhou Daihan, and Lin Yi, internationally renowned artemisinin anti-malaria expert Li Guoqiao, as well as well-known figures recognized as the Qihuang Scholars, National Distinguished Young Scientists, and chief scientists of the prestigious National “973 Program.”
GZUCM is home to 13,599 staff members, including 1,339 on campus and 12,260 at affiliated hospitals, among which 2,340 were awarded senior professional titles. There are 177 individuals recognized as national-level talents and 291 as provincial-level talents. This includes 1 full-time academician, 4 National TCM Masters, 5 nationally renowned TCM experts, 3 chief scientists of National “973 Program”, 3 special post scholars of the National Talent Award Plan, 1 National Distinguished Young Scientist, 1 leading talent of the 10,000 Talents Program, 10 Qihuang scholars, 6 national candidates for Millions of Talent Projects, 3 op-notch young talents for the 10,000 Talents Program, 4 National Excellent Young Scientists, 1 Excellent Overseas Young Scientist, 6 Young Qihuang scholars, 11 provincial-level key talents, 15 talents of the Guangdong Special Support Plan, and 107 Guangdong Provincial Distinguished TCM Practitioners. GZUCM is further honored with 2 recipients of the National May 1st Labor Medal, 1 recipient of the National Worker Vanguard Award, 6 recipients of the Guangdong Provincial May 1st Labor Medal and 3 recipients of the Guangdong Provincial M...
The university adheres to the "four aspects" and carries out organized scientific research and innovation.
Setting its sights on the global frontiers of science and technology, national economic development, the major needs of the country, and the health and safety of the people, GZUCM has developed an organized approach to scientific research and innovation. Boasting an impressive array of national-level research facilities, GZUCM is home to the “National Key Laboratory for Syndrome Research in Traditional Chinese Medicine” and the “National Key Laboratory for Dampness Syndrome in Chinese Medicine Jointly Constructed by the Provincial and Ministry-Level.” These, alongside the “National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Medical Breakthroughs”, are among the 10 national-level research platforms. Furthermore, the university has established 53 provincial and ministerial-level research platforms including “Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine”, the “Key Laboratory for Lingnan Chinese Medicine Resources under the Ministry of Education”, the “International Joint Laboratory for Chinese Medicine Research on Tumor Prevention and Treatment” and the “Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Formula Syndrome Research.” These platforms, among others, such as the “Guangdong Provincial Data Center for Chinese Medicine Science”, the “Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Research on Chinese Medicine and Immune Diseases”, the “Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine for Treatment of Acute Syndromes”, the “Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Acupuncture in Chinese Medicine”, and the “Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Chinese Materia Medica Research on the Prevention and Treatment of Tumor”, are at the forefront of research in various aspects of TCM. Over the past five years (2019-2023), a total of 2,602 vertically funded science and research projects have been added to GZUCM’...
GZUCM remains committed to community service, continuously strengthening its high-end medical resources.
GZUCM remains committed to community service, continuously strengthening its high-end medical resources. Currently, it has 4 directly affiliated hospitals, 8 hospitals developed in collaboration with the government, and 30 non-direct affiliated hospitals. Notably, the First and Second Affiliated Hospitals made the list of the National Center for the Inheritance and Innovation of Chinese Medicine, the National Regional Medical Center for Output Hospitals, the National Clinical Research Base for Chinese Medicine, and key institutions for high-level hospital development in Guangdong Province. These hospitals serve as exemplary institutions for public hospital reform and high-quality development in Guangdong Province.
Specifically, the First Affiliated Hospital is a national base for the treatment of major epidemics, and is recognized as one of the hospitals with the largest number of regional Chinese medicine (specialties) diagnosis and treatment centers in the country. The Second Affiliated Hospital has held the top position on the list of the “Top 100 Chinese Medicine Hospitals in China in terms of competitiveness” for 10 consecutive years and has been top-ranked in terms of scientific and technological value among national Chinese medicine hospitals for 5 consecutive years. The Third Affiliated Hospital is a grade A tertiary hospital specializing in the treatment of bone and joint injuries in Guangdong Province, with its orthopedics and traumatology of TCM being the hospital’s flagship specialty. The Guangdong Chinese Medicine Museum, as one of the first national second-level museums among universities, along with the First and Second Affiliated Hospitals, has been designated by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine as one of the first national bases for the promotion and education of Chinese medicine culture.
The university has forged industry-university-research collaborative relationships with 15 prefectures and municipalities in Guangdong Province and beyond.
GZUCM adheres to the integrated model of industry-university-research cooperation and has forged collaborative relationships with 15 prefectures and municipalities in Guangdong Province and beyond. Its range of proprietary Chinese patent medicines, encompassing Wei Nai An, Gu Xian Pian, Xiao Ke Wan, Jin Fo Zhi Tong Wan, Zi Shen Yu Tai Wan, and Wei Zhi Tong Jiao Nang, have emerged as representative products of the Guangdong pharmaceutical industry, enjoying widespread popularity throughout China. Furthermore, the university has spearheaded the construction of the "Guangdong South Medicine Seed Industry Innovation Park," actively aligning itself with the Chinese medicine industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It has embarked on research and development of GAP key technologies for 50 varieties of authentic and bulk southern Chinese medicinal herbs, as well as promoting their industrial application. Additionally, the university has provided guidance to Chinese pharmacy enterprises in establishing standardized planting bases for southern Chinese medicinal herbs covering over 2 million mu.
With an international perspective, GZUCM pursues high-level external exchanges and cooperation.
With an international perspective, GZUCM pursues high-level external exchanges and cooperation. This commitment is reflected in the university’s groundbreaking research and development of artemisinin compound and malaria control programs, which are protected by intellectual property rights. These innovative treatments have been successfully applied in more than 10 countries, including Comoro, São Tomé and Príncipe, resulting in a significant reduction in malaria incidence and mortality, thereby creating a remarkable milestone in human anti-malarial efforts. The university’s global outreach extends further, with the dispatch of medical teams to Africa to execute aid missions. These teams have established traditional medicine research centers in key regions such as Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Papua New Guinea. Furthermore, the university has established 7 national-level overseas centers for TCM in Europe and Africa, as well as 3 national-level international cooperation bases for TCM with countries and regions like the United States. In addition, it has engaged in remote courses and student exchange programs with some Ivy League universities such as Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It has also taken a leading role in founding 6 professional alliances such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Alliance, and established the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Innovation Center and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, as well as 3 inheritance studios in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Since 1974, the university has been enrolling foreign students and has so far trained over 20,000 senior talents in TCM from more than 110 countries and regions.
On the new journey of the new era, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the university thoroughly implements the guidelines of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, comprehensively carries out the party’s educational policies, and firmly roots itself in Guangdong, while keeping its sights set on the global arena. Adhering to the legacy of TCM, GZUCM upholds righteousness and fosters innovation, actively participating into the construction of the Chinese Medicine Highlands in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as a new round of efforts to build Guangdong into a strong province of Chinese medicine. GZUCM strives to establish itself as a world-class university with Chinese characteristics in TCM, thus making new and greater contributions to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
(Updated as of March 2025)
